Lucid9: Inciting Incident
Released Apr 2016
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Lucid9: Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, focused on a string of disappearances that occur at a prestigious, uppity boarding academy.
90% positive · 1,038 reviews
Not yet
Released, content planned but development status unclear
Low confidence
Content Planned
Development Uncertain
Not yet
Released, content planned but development status unclear
Low confidence
Content Planned
Development Uncertain
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
Lucid9: Inciting Incident launched on April 14, 2016 as the first part of a planned multi-part visual novel series. The game explicitly describes itself as the first arc of a larger story, and the developer has communicated plans for additional content on multiple occasions.
The most significant development is a Kickstarter campaign launched on January 1, 2024, which was successfully funded by February 22, 2024. The campaign was specifically aimed at funding the development of heroine routes — four additional story arcs following the game's main heroines. Creative Director David Acosta stated at the time that the team would "keep you updated every step of the way" with development progress.
Prior to the Kickstarter, the game received a Heroine Prologues update in December 2019, adding 1-2 hours of new story content that explicitly set up those future heroine routes — confirming this additional content has been in planning for many years.
The store description further references the forthcoming second arc and a planned full English voice acting patch, though the voice acting patch has been noted as postponed indefinitely.
The concern is that despite the Kickstarter's successful funding in February 2024, no further developer updates have appeared since that date — a period of silence lasting through June 18, 2026. The promised heroine routes have not been released, and the developer has not communicated any progress, delays, or changes in plan. For a passion project funded through crowdfunding with no subsequent updates in over two years, this extended silence makes it genuinely uncertain whether the funded development is actively moving forward.
Evidence
Kickstarter fully funded. Developer confirms heroine routes will be developed and promises ongoing updates throughout development.
Kickstarter announced to fund heroine routes, launching January 1, 2024.
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Fallen Snow Studios
Achievements
13
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player
About this game
Lucid9 is a mystery visual novel where your choices affect the outcome of the story.
--------STORY--------
// D-DAY.
You're a murderer.
// 1 DAY PRIOR.
You can’t trust anyone. You lose your mind.
// 3 DAYS PRIOR.
Someone dies before your eyes. Your friends distance themselves from you.
// 4 DAYS PRIOR.
Your school enforces a curfew. You nearly drown. Your past catches up to you.
// 6 DAYS PRIOR.
You learn that students at your school have been disappearing into nothingness. You visit an amusement park with a bunch of friends anyway.
// 8 DAYS PRIOR.
You take a history exam. Maybe you pass, maybe you fail. Then you participate in a treasure hunt in the sketchiest part of the city. Thankfully, nothing happens. Or maybe something does.
// 9 DAYS PRIOR.
You visit a career fair to review your options. Doesn't seem like there is a bright future ahead of you. You also meet a crazy woman with a vocabulary larger than her height who claims to be a detective.
// 10 DAYS PRIOR.
You immerse yourself in classes, friends, and an everyday routine. You eat copious amounts of fried chicken and are press-ganged into advertising for a club you're not even in. This is where the game begins.
// THE THING IS:
You can choose to fight this outcome.
--------ABOUT LUCID9--------
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, where you play as Yama Ishimoto, a cynical high school student who would like nothing more than to keep his life free of school drama and hard choices. However, he’s forced to face his circumstances when an eccentric detective blazes into his life, alerting him of a string of brutal murders at his school.
As Yama furthers this investigation, he must dig through the secrets of the city, bringing him and his friends closer and closer to danger in the process. Every step leads Yama to the most unexpected - and terrifying - culprit…
--------DEVELOPERS--------
Lucid9 is being created by Fallen Snow Studios, an international group of visual novel enthusiasts who seek to make a VN by fans for fans. As Lucid9 is a passion project that has been created without any budget so far, we are aiming to release it free of charge in order to both engage established fans of visual novels, as well as introduce newcomers to this unique storytelling medium. We are working our hardest to make sure the rest of the story will be available for free as well.
--------UPCOMING--------
--------STORY--------
// D-DAY.
You're a murderer.
// 1 DAY PRIOR.
You can’t trust anyone. You lose your mind.
// 3 DAYS PRIOR.
Someone dies before your eyes. Your friends distance themselves from you.
// 4 DAYS PRIOR.
Your school enforces a curfew. You nearly drown. Your past catches up to you.
// 6 DAYS PRIOR.
You learn that students at your school have been disappearing into nothingness. You visit an amusement park with a bunch of friends anyway.
// 8 DAYS PRIOR.
You take a history exam. Maybe you pass, maybe you fail. Then you participate in a treasure hunt in the sketchiest part of the city. Thankfully, nothing happens. Or maybe something does.
// 9 DAYS PRIOR.
You visit a career fair to review your options. Doesn't seem like there is a bright future ahead of you. You also meet a crazy woman with a vocabulary larger than her height who claims to be a detective.
// 10 DAYS PRIOR.
You immerse yourself in classes, friends, and an everyday routine. You eat copious amounts of fried chicken and are press-ganged into advertising for a club you're not even in. This is where the game begins.
// THE THING IS:
You can choose to fight this outcome.
--------ABOUT LUCID9--------
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, where you play as Yama Ishimoto, a cynical high school student who would like nothing more than to keep his life free of school drama and hard choices. However, he’s forced to face his circumstances when an eccentric detective blazes into his life, alerting him of a string of brutal murders at his school.
As Yama furthers this investigation, he must dig through the secrets of the city, bringing him and his friends closer and closer to danger in the process. Every step leads Yama to the most unexpected - and terrifying - culprit…
--------DEVELOPERS--------
Lucid9 is being created by Fallen Snow Studios, an international group of visual novel enthusiasts who seek to make a VN by fans for fans. As Lucid9 is a passion project that has been created without any budget so far, we are aiming to release it free of charge in order to both engage established fans of visual novels, as well as introduce newcomers to this unique storytelling medium. We are working our hardest to make sure the rest of the story will be available for free as well.
--------UPCOMING--------
- Free Voice Acting patch: All of Inciting Incident will be fully voiced in English by Yin Yang Voices. Recording production has already begun, but it's a deliberate and lengthy process. (This has been postponed indefinitely).
- Second arc of Lucid9: We are currently working on the heroine routes, which will comprise the second part of Lucid9. They will be included in a future patch. There isn't any precise release date for this patch, but we will make sure to share progress regularly with all of you.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 18, 2026
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